Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann Opines at SXSW

In an interview today at SXSW, Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann discussed his transition from pre-med student to founding the latest "It" company, which had 16.1 million unique visitors in January, according to Nielsen.

AUSTIN, Texas—Perhaps it's no surprise that Ben Silbermann, co-founder and CEO of the popular social photo-sharing site Pinterest, started out as a bug collector. In an interview today with Chris Dixon (Hunch) at SXSW, Silbermann discussed his transition from pre-med student to founding the latest "It" company, which had 16.1 million unique visitors in January, according to Nielsen.

The philosophy behind Pinterest goes deeper than simply posting things that users think others might find interesting. "When I go into someone's house I view their things, like books, as a collection." Silbermann explained. "My wife's closet is a collection of shoes and clothing. Other people collect art and furniture."

Silbermann told Dixon that he was obsessed with collecting, and while considering a future as a doctor, began reading TechCrunch. He then realized he wanted to be a part of "the story of his time," and so he focused on a way to blend his interest in collecting with technology.

Inspired by Digg founder Kevin Rose, Silbermann made his way to Silicon Valley and, as he put it, "cajoled his way into Google," where he worked on designing ad products. Google opened up a world where companies had the "audacity to think at a huge scale," and he became interested in discussion forms like Reddit and the now defunct Google Answers. After leaving Google in 2008, he had a run at making iPhone apps – however the idea of collections persisted. In 2009, Silbermann began building Pinterest.

Pinterest has won all sorts of accolades recently for its design and user experience. That's because the team behind the site obsesses over quality. Asked why they didn't launch early and iterate as they went along, Silbermann responded, "Collections have to be something that you're proud of. If the collections didn't look awesome, why would anyone spend time working on them?"

"You have to show that you put in as much effort as you expect [your users] to put in," he continued.

Silbermann expressed admiration for the simplicity of Twitter's design and engagement, and a keen understanding that consumers now have high expectations. Impeccably crafted iPhones and Google's product efficiency all inform the approach of Pinterest.

So, what's in the pipeline for Pinterest? "Lots of exciting things," Silbermann told the SXSW crowd. An improved profile, for one, could launch "very soon." Silbermann also promised the profile page will be "more beautiful, a snapshot of who you are."

The company is also working to help users find other users – strangers and friends – by allowing connections between sources. The idea is to enable their members to tap into influences and inspiration that they might not otherwise uncover. Pinterest is also working to add video as pin content, from sources such as Hulu and Netflix. They are also working on platform expansion. "I'm so excited about Pinterest on the iPad," Silbermann remarked.

When asked about copyright issues, Silbermann said Pinterest has a process in place for notice, removal, and counter notice. The company takes it very seriously, and is building tools to help people better control their content. Silbermann said he also spends a lot of time reaching out to people who are concerned about it.

That is the crux of what Pinterest is about – consideration of the users, community outreach, and product quality. "We have a social responsibility to understand what's going on in the community and feed it into every product decision," he said.

And if you're interested, they're hiring. In closing, Silbermann said, "The team is still the most exciting product we're building."

Kirsten Cluthe is a contributing writer for various media outlets, including Connected Traveler for PCMag.com, mediabistro.com, and several blogs focused on travel, tech, business, and media. She began her career in Los Angeles, coordinating concert tours and recovering lost baggage for traveling musicians. When not in a window seat at 36,000 feet, she appreciates the view from the ground in Jersey City.
You can follow her on Twitter here: @kir
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